Windows on the World
by tvgirlSVM
Summary: Eric and Sookie's relationship must endure a long distance when she takes a highly coveted job at a world renowned restaurant in NYC. But at what cost? AH. HEA promised! Kiss A Cook contest finalist.


**Entry for the Kiss a Cook Contest**

**Title: Windows on the World**

**Pen Name: tvgirlSVM**

**Beta Name: scribeninja**

**Characters: Sookie, Eric**

**Rated: M**

**Summary: Eric and Sookie's relationship must endure a long distance when she takes a highly coveted job at a world renowned restaurant in NYC. But at what cost? AH.**

**Disclaimer: Not mine, sadly. **

**A/N**

**After seeing some of the reviews when this was an anonymous fic for the Kiss A Cook Contest, I just wanted to let you all know that A) I am a New Yorker. I was born and raised on Long Island and I did, very sadly, know someone who perished on 9/11, and B) there is a HEA here. **

WINDOWS ON THE WORLD

"I'm going to miss this," Sookie said as she nestled herself further into Eric, burrowing her shoulder into his armpit and resting her head on his shoulder as she played with his fingers of the arm she was using as a pillow.

"Then don't go, lover," Eric replied. There was no more pleading, she had made up her mind. But he continued to throw it out there every so often. More often lately as they neared her date of departure.

"Eric, we've gone over this a million times. It's too good of an opportunity to pass up."

Eric sat up partially; leaning on the arm wedged beneath Sookie, he looked down at her. She was so beautiful in the moonlight shining through their open bedroom window. It was September 2000, and it was the first time it had been cool enough in months to turn off the air conditioning and throw open the windows to the somewhat less muggy New Orleans night air.

He bent down to kiss her. "Yes, I know. But that doesn't mean I can't keep asking you to stay here with me."

Ten years prior, when Sookie Stackhouse was right out of high school, she had gotten a job waitressing at Commander's Palace in New Orleans. Her former boss helped her get the gig; Sam Merlotte, owner of Merlotte's Bar and Grill, had a friend of a friend who was able to get her an interview and she wowed them. Originally, the job was to be a way to save up for, and hopefully work her way through, college. That was why Sookie had been set on working at a high end restaurant – the more expensive the menu, the better the tips – but she had fallen in love with the kitchen and thoughts of college had gone out the window.

She met Eric soon after moving to New Orleans from her tiny home town of Bon Temps. It was a Monday, dubbed "industry night" because it was like the weekend for those who worked in the tourist trade - hotels, restaurants and bars. Sookie accompanied a few of the waitresses to a new bar called Valhalla that was trying to cater to the higher end clientele seeking out the French Quarter's new upscale restaurants. It was struggling a bit, and the owner had started an industry night two-for-one policy that the other waitresses were eager to take advantage of.

The owner, Eric Northman, was also trying to save some money by doing most of the bartending himself. Since it was a Monday, he didn't have a bouncer and had to check IDs as patrons ordered. He knew there was no way the pretty blonde was twenty-one, and while they tended to be a little more lax in the Big Easy, he was in no position to pay any fines for underage drinking.

He asked for her ID and saw she was from a small place near his own hometown of Shreveport. Forgetting to kick out the young beauty, they began talking and realized they had a few acquaintances in common. Well, really, Eric had a few floozies in common with Sookie's brother, Jason. That didn't say much for Eric, as far as Sookie was concerned. But it was nice to chat with someone who was familiar with her little corner of the state.

Even though Eric was a decade older than she, he and Sookie became fast friends. They shared a zest for life and enjoyed each other's company and sense of humor. Both struggling to make ends meet those first few years of their friendship, they would spend their free time just hanging out either at his bar or sitting outside at Café Du Monde people watching and making up stories about the tourists who came for the world famous chickory coffee and beignets.

They were both concentrating on their careers and celebrated each milestone together: when Eric got his head above water and could hire on a second bartender; when Sookie finally needled her way into a kitchen job as an assistant; when Eric got a positive write-up in Zagat; when Sookie got promoted to commis, working under a chef de partie. Through it all they were there for each other's up and downs and somewhere along the way their friendship had grown into something more.

By the ten-year anniversary of that fated Monday night at Eric's bar when they met, Sookie and Eric were living together in a monster fixer-upper in the Garden District, Eric was getting ready to open a second bar, this time enlisting help from his sister, Pam, and Sookie was the youngest female to ever have held the position of grill chef at Commander's Palace.

Their lives were going at the perfect speed, and were on the right track when another train came along offering the chance to fly, and fly first class.

Victor Madden, the Expediter at Commander's Palace, was offered the job of Sous-Chef at the famed Windows on the World in New York City, and he had asked Sookie if she'd like join him and take the job of Saucier, the highest position of all the kitchen stations.

While Sookie knew Victor likely had grand schemes to get into her pants while he had her away from Eric, she also knew he wouldn't offer her the job unless he really thought she could do it. You just don't take those kinds of chances at a place like WOW. And if Sookie could put a few years of that position at Windows on the World on her resume, she'd be able to return and maybe get a job at one of Emeril's three restaurants in New Orleans. Maybe even as an Expediter or Sous-Chef. The chance to work at WOW, in New York City, was a great opportunity in and of itself that could be the perfect stepping stone for Sookie back at home.

After talking it over with Eric a little more than a week before, she had accepted. Obviously, with Eric owning his own business, and in the middle of opening another bar, he couldn't go with her. Sookie was sad about it, but she told Eric to do what she did – think of it as her going off to college for a few years. Surely after a decade together in some capacity their relationship could stand the test of thirteen hundred miles for a few short years. He had chuckled at her comparison to college, but his smile was sad.

They now had three more days together before she left.

"Eric, every time you ask me to stay, it hurts a little bit more. This is hard enough, stop making it worse. You know it's too good of an opportunity to waste."

"What if we were married? Would you still go then?"

Sookie shifted and got up on her elbow, getting face to face with Eric. She thought for a moment while she looked into those yearning blue eyes of his.

"Yes, I think I'd still want to go even if we were married. That is, unless we had kids. Which we don't. And I'm not doing this to get you to marry me, Eric. I love you. I trust you. I believe in us and that we can endure a few years apart," Sookie took a breath. "It's not like we're never going to see each other, baby," she finished, touching his cheek with her palm and brushing his lips with her own.

In those last three days Sookie was supposed to be packing. Since she wasn't bringing much with her, she spent half a day packing, then spent the rest of the time with Eric in bed. As well as on the kitchen table, up against the dining room wall, over the arm of the family room couch, and bent over the desk in Eric's home office, among other places.

**November**

It was early November and Eric's first visit to see Sookie in New York. It had coincided with a hospitality convention Eric needed to attend, so he could happily write-off getting a hotel room rather than spend the two nights falling half out of the queen bed in the studio apartment in Brooklyn Heights. He refused to call it Sookie's apartment, because her home was with him in New Orleans. The studio in Brooklyn was just a place to rest her head for a year or two.

Eric went all out and booked a room at the St. Regis. He was set to arrive Sunday afternoon and would be there through Tuesday evening, but a storm somewhere over the Carolinas had delayed his flight. Sookie pulled up a stool at the bar in the hotel's famed King Cole Bar and ordered a snack while she waited for Eric to arrive.

Looking at the prices, she was especially happy she knew some of the kitchen, wait, and bar staff at the hotel and wouldn't have to spend more than a generous tip. It was outrageously priced, even more so than where she worked. While she pondered the craziness of what Manhattanites would spend on a plate of olives and salami, a man approached her from behind.

"Excuse me Miss, is this seat taken?"

Sookie turned at the sound of Eric's voice and looked up into those familiar blue eyes, which were twinkling with mischief.

"Eric," Sookie began before she was interrupted.

Eric stuck out his arm and motioned for Sookie's hand. "Lief, Lief Ericsson. And you are?" he asked as he brought Sookie's hand up to his mouth to brush his lips across her knuckles.

Warmth spread throughout her body as his lips met her flesh. God, had she missed him. She gave him a once over, twice. He was dressed for a night out, in a navy suit with a crisp white button-down that had the top few buttons undone. No tie. She took in his clavicle and Adam's apple and thought, _Yum_.

Sookie had trouble thinking of a good name for herself with Eric's good looks distracting her on top of the fact that they had never role played before. This was new. And fun.

"Mary," Sookie finally answered, remembering what she read on the back of the menu, that the King Cole Bar was famous for the invention of the Bloody Mary.

"And do you have a last name, Mary?" asked Eric.

"If you're good, you'll find out later," Sookie returned. She coyly added, "And if you're bad, you'll hear me screaming _your_ name so loud that it won't matter."

They never did make it out of the hotel that night, their dinner reservations at Smith & Wollensky completely abandoned.

Eric and Sookie always visited each other for what was considered their weekend, being Sunday to Tuesday when their respective places of work were least busy. They tried to see each other at least once a month, usually at the beginning of the month so that Eric had all of his end-of-month accounting stuff out of the way.

**December**

Instead of Sookie making the next trip, Eric actually wanted to make the December visit to Sookie. He was looking forward to seeing Manhattan all done up for the holidays, plus, he had a surprise for Sookie. Having fully enjoyed the role playing of his visit the month prior, Eric wanted to plan a special date to make Sookie feel like a princess.

This time around there was no lovely king-sized bed in a hotel room with a sitting area, but instead the two of them tripping over each other in the miniscule Brooklyn Heights studio. Sookie's queen mattress set took up the bulk of the apartment's living area. She also had a bistro-size table and chairs that served as kitchen table and desk.

Eric had arrived around two in the afternoon with his duffel bag and a beautifully wrapped box. This would be their Christmas, so to speak, since they wouldn't be seeing each other again until the new year.

She had clapped her hands and squealed with delight when she opened the gift, a beautiful floor length chiffon red dress. He pulled a smaller box out of his duffel – matching red Jimmy Choos.

"Oh, Eric, they're beautiful! But where am I going to wear this?" Sookie asked.

"To Lincoln Center, of course," he smiled. He pulled two tickets out of his pocket. "It's Christmas, almost. What better way to spend an evening than seeing the New York City ballet perform The Nutcracker?"

Two hours later, Sookie stepped out of the miniscule bathroom ready for their date. But Eric was nowhere to be found. There was certainly no place for him to hide in the studio. A knock on the door interrupted Sookie's confusion and she went to see who was there.

Eric stood on the other side of the door in a black suit, white button down shirt and red tie. Sookie licked her lips.

Eric bowed slightly, "Your chariot awaits, my lady."

Sookie giggled, and then smiled at the fact that Eric could still cause butterflies in her stomach even after all this time. She grabbed their coats and they were off.

The chariot was really a yellow cab, or so Sookie thought. The taxi dropped them off at The Plaza Hotel where they boarded a horse drawn carriage that took them the rest of the way to Lincoln Center. Sookie snuggled into Eric under the blanket that was provided for the cold weather.

"This is so romantic, Eric. Really, it's perfect."

He leaned down slightly and kissed the top of her head.

"I thought we could make the most out of these too-short visits."

Sookie smiled. "I feel like a princess. Maybe I should have taken a job out of state sooner," she joked.

While their relationship had definitely not qualified as stale before she left New Orleans, Sookie couldn't help but appreciate this renewed sense of romanticism and fun that had resulted from not seeing each other more often. The lengths Eric was going to make their short time together special made her love him all the more.

After the show they enjoyed a quiet dinner at Carmine's. Quiet because they were at the Upper West Side Carmine's, and not the touristy one in Times Square. After hours of suggestive glances and somewhat innocent touching, they were ready to take their tiramisu to go.

They enjoyed the dessert in bed, wrapped up in the blankets and each other following a few rounds of lovemaking. They fed each other and reveled in the feeling of being together as they watched a light snow start to fall outside the window, twinkling in the lights of the Brooklyn Bridge.

**January**

Sookie arrived at their home in New Orleans, cursing the freezing wet cold of early January. She was not due home until the following weekend, but had the not too bright idea of not only surprising Eric by coming home a week early, but also by showing up in nothing but her trench coat over a new set of black lace lingerie. She had made a quick change in the bathroom at the airport before hailing a cab, but now she was freezing her ass off as she waited for Eric to answer the door. Just as she began to worry that Eric wasn't home and she might catch pneumonia for nothing, he came to the door looking like he had just woken up form a nap. His hair was a sexy mess, and as he wiped the sleep from his eyes Sookie took him in and felt warmth return to her body. He was barefoot in jeans and a white t-shirt, and he looked scrumptious.

"Sookie?" Eric asked as he seemed to still be shaking himself awake.

"I'm sorry to bother you sir, but my car broke down. Can I trouble you to use your phone? It seems my cell phone battery died," Sookie relayed as she batted her eyelashes at him.

Catching on, Eric opened the door wider and Sookie walked in, dropping her overnight bag by the door.

"Let me take your coat, Miss…?"

As Sookie unbelted her coat and revealed what lay underneath, all cares of whatever name she might be using in this little game went out the window as Eric's jaw dropped at the sight before him.

His gaze moved from the black lace demi bra, down her body to the matching black lace panties, thigh high stockings, and sky high black stiletto heels. She sauntered over to him, bringing her hand up to run a finger down his cheek and shut his jaw for him.

"See something you like?"

"Oh yes, lover," he panted. "I really do wish you'd come home more often."

**March**

Eric had been unable to get away in February. Construction on the new bar, Raven's Loft, had hit some snags, plus he was busier than usual at Valhalla due to Mardi Gras at the end of the month. Even if Sookie had made the trip instead, they would have barely seen each other.

Eric was finally able to get away in the middle of March. His schedule cleared up last minute when a Sunday meeting was cancelled. Pam agreed to keep an eye on Valhalla and he booked a last minute flight on a Saturday to surprise Sookie.

He keyed into the apartment that evening to find it dark and empty since Sookie was at work. He took a quick shower and changed into charcoal slacks and a black button down shirt, put a dress and shoes in a bag for Sookie to change into after work and headed out to the Trade Center. By the time he arrived, dinner service was winding down. He let the hostess know who he was and asked if she could give Sookie the bag and send her his way whenever she was done for the night; he would be waiting for her upstairs at The Greatest Bar On Earth.

It was Saturday Night Swing in the bar. Eric enjoyed the big band era music and sipped a dirty martini while taking in the view of the Statue of Liberty, which looked positively miniature from his view on the 107th floor of the North Tower.

Sookie finally appeared around midnight, looking tired but all cleaned up and with a bright smile lighting up her eyes. She practically ran to him and he stood as she jumped into his arms. She took in his scent, relaxing into his embrace.

"You're a sight for sore eyes," she breathed into his ear as she kissed his neck.

"Really? I was just thinking you didn't seem too happy to see me," he chuckled.

She swatted his arm as he pulled out a bar stool for her.

"Tired?" he asked, after he ordered her a gin and tonic.

"You have no idea. I've had the worst night. I'm so happy to see you. How did you get away? On a Saturday, no less?"

"I'd say I owe Pam a pretty hefty gift for covering the bar tonight, but really I think she was so sick of me moping around that she was happy to see me go."

Eric tucked a few stray strands of hair behind Sookie's ear.

"So tell me, why such an awful night?" he asked.

Sookie shook her head slowly. "Not here. Later," she said, her voice just above a whisper. "Let's enjoy what's left of the night."

"As you wish," he replied, quoting one of her favorite movies. He stood up and reached for her hand. "May I have this dance, Princess Buttercup?"

Sookie blushed and nodded, a smile returning to her lips as she placed her hand in his.

The band began playing Bobby Darin's "Somewhere Beyond the Sea" as they took to the dance floor, forming to each other's bodies with ease despite the fact it had been ages since they danced like this. Maybe not since her best friend Amelia's wedding five years ago. She sighed and rested her head against his chest as she looked across the dance floor to take in the glorious view out the giant windows. In spite of her horrible evening at work, the night had turned out perfect.

The following morning Sookie was awoken in the most delicious way, with Eric's scruff tickling her hips as he grazed his lips across her belly.

"Hmm, that tickles," she said lazily, as she fluttered her eyes open and smiled down at him.

"Tickles, huh?" has asked as he moved further down the bed, licking her inner thigh and blowing a cool breath over the wet spot, causing her nipples to pebble with her arousal.

She moaned. "Don't stop. Feels so good," her words coming out in short pants.

He spread her lips with his thumbs and licked upwards, stopping at her most sensitive spot to tongue the bundle of nerves there. She bucked her hips off the bed and his throaty laugh sounded more like a growl. He moved one hand to keep her hips in place while using the other to insert two fingers, stroking her other sweet spot and bringing her to her first release.

He kissed his way up her body as she came down from her high, settling at her neck and nibbling the soft skin there.

"I love you, Sookie Stackhouse," he whispered in her ear.

Those words coming from his mouth had her ready for more. She shifted her body, positioning herself to push him back on the bed, and straddled his thighs while taking his length in her hands.

She stroked him. "So hard for me, lover," she said in a low voice as she raised and lowered herself onto him.

"Ungh, so wet for me, Sookie. You feel so good around me," he murmured.

She leaned down to kiss his chest and playfully bit his nipple before sitting up again and leaning back, placing her hands on his thighs for more leverage. He bucked against her as she raised and lowered herself, at first watching where they were joined and then raising his gaze to her beautiful face.

"Come for me again, lover. I want to watch you explode," he said as he pressed a thumb to her clit.

"As you wish," she panted before she came yelling his name, Eric tumbling over the edge right after her.

She collapsed on his chest and he wrapped his arms around her.

"Hmm, I miss waking up like this, with you," she said quietly.

A few tears dropped down her face and onto his chest. He tilted her head up to him and brushed the tears away with his thumbs.

"What's wrong, Sookie?"

"I just, I miss you. And work is not turning out as I thought."

"Last night? Your awful night at work? What happened?"

She rolled off of him and got out of bed, walking the few feet to the bathroom, talking to him through the open doorway as she cleaned up.

"Remember I told you the Expediter was fired last month and Victor was pushing for me to get the promotion?"

He nodded and motioned with his hand to continue.

"Well, two weeks ago the Head Chef was also fired. Victor was sure he'd get the promotion and then he was going to promote me, as well. Except that the owners brought in someone new instead. Felipe de Castro. And he's Victor to the extreme."

"How do you mean, 'to the extreme?'"

"Well, you know Victor was always trying to get me into bed."

Eric growled. Sookie walked back to the bed, now dressed in a robe, and sat on the edge holding up a hand telling him to calm down and let her finish.

"Victor was really harmless for the most part. It was never really a situation of 'sleep with me or you won't get promoted,' or even be fired, but more like an annoying bee buzzing in your ear. Felipe, however, is no annoying bee."

Eric sat up at hearing this, a look of concern across his face.

"Sookie," he began.

"No, let me finish." She continued, "It came to a head last night. In not so many words, Felipe told me that for him to promote a woman to Expediter she had better be doing something for him to return the favor."

Her tears began to fall again, this time in earnest.

Eric tamped down his anger and comforted Sookie. He pulled her into his arms, smoothing down her hair and rocking her slightly.

"Sookie, just quit. Come home. If there's no room for promotion there, it's not worth it to put up with that creep, Felipe."

"Eric, I can't," she said as she pushed away to look at him. "I've only been there six months. That would look horrible on my resume. I've just got to stick it out a while longer."

"What's a while, Sookie? Six more months? A year? That's ridiculous."

"No, you just caught me while this is all fresh. I'll be fine," she said as she wiped away the last of her tears. She got up and began to get dressed. "Come on, let's not let this ruin your visit."

She steeled herself. "We'll go over to the Village and get something sweet and sinful at Magnolia Bakery. We can walk around and window shop."

Knowing Sookie's stubborn streak all too well, Eric let the topic drop and got up to get ready for the day.

**June**

Neither of them had been able to get away for a visit in April or May, but they had certainly spent more than enough time on the phone, usually arguing over Sookie's situation at work.

By the time Sookie was able to get away for two nights in June, she was downright miserable. She hadn't wanted to tell Eric that Felipe was done hinting and had finally come right out and told Sookie to put out if she wanted the promotion.

By the time she had come home to see Eric, she was dealing with a new Expediter at work. Apparently Sophie-Anne LeClerq put out.

When Sookie deplaned in New Orleans it was to the beautiful sight of Eric waiting for her with a grease-stained bag of beignets from Café Du Monde in one hand, a to-go cup of coffee in another. She had never been happier to see him.

She dropped her overnight bag and wrapped her arms around Eric for a hug, careful not to make him spill or drop anything. When she finally lifted her head from his chest and looked up at him, she said, "Take me home and make love to me, baby."

Eric was happy to comply.

Later that evening, as they lounged on the couch eating Chinese take-out, Sookie finally filled Eric in on the new hire at WOW. She quickly found herself in tears.

"A woman," said Eric softly as he placed their containers on the coffee table pulled her onto his lap.

"A woman," Sookie repeated, as she hiccupped. "And since Felipe is new, Victor's not going to get promoted any time soon. And with this Sophie-Anne coming in, I'm not going to get promoted anytime soon. So I'm boxed in. There are no more rungs on the ladder above me," she choked out.

"Sookie, I know we've had this fight too many times to count over the last two months, but when will enough be enough?" asked Eric.

"I can't just quit without another job lined up. How would I explain it in an interview for a new job?"

"Then I'll apply for a license to serve food at Raven's Loft. It's not too late for me to put in a kitchen. You can be the Head Chef and serve whatever your heart desires."

"No. I have to do this on my own, Eric. It's not your job to take care of me," she said leaning away from him.

"That's bullshit, Sookie," he replied angrily. "After ten years together I'm seriously offended that you still look at this relationship as 'you' and 'me,' rather than 'we.'

He shifted her off of his lap and got up, his ire rising as he began to pace.

"When are you going to see us as a team? Why do you think you have to do everything on your own?" He stopped and gestured at her and himself. "When are you going to start putting our, hell, even just your own happiness ahead of your career?"

Sookie rocketed off the couch to face Eric head on.

"Easy for you to say!" she yelled. "You've already got your career built up, with Valhalla doing great and another business about to open. Don't you get all high-handed with me, Eric Northman. I'm doing this on my own, just like you did!"

"Sookie, we don't have an eternity. Don't you want to get married, start a family? We're not getting any younger here."

"Married? That would require you to ask, asshole!" she grabbed a throw pillow off the couch and threw it at him. She stomped off to their bedroom, yelling over her shoulder as she left, "And I'm not even thirty yet, so don't start with that 'we're not getting any younger' bull shit!"

Eric let her go to cool off upstairs. After cleaning up the mess from dinner, he finally slumped back onto the couch, deep in thought. _Well, that didn't go as I had planned_, he thought as he pulled a ring out his pocket and stared at the two carat princess cut solitaire.

When Sookie came downstairs the next morning she found Eric passed out on the couch with the TV still on. She had thought a lot about what Eric had said. Not so much about the marriage bit, but about her not thinking of them as a team. But she didn't want to lose herself somewhere in the "we."

She sighed and went over to the couch, crawling on top of him. He instinctually wrapped his arms around her, even half asleep.

"I'm sorry, Eric. About last night and about not putting us first."

"Sookie," he began as he opened his eyes.

She put two fingers over his lips.

"I've got a compromise, if you want to hear it?"

He kissed her fingers and nodded.

"I'll start looking for a new job. I won't quit before I've got something else lined up, and I don't want you rearranging your plans to create a job for me. But I will quit as soon as I get something else."

Eric pulled her fingers from his lips and took her hand in his. "Lover, I still contend that you running a kitchen for me wouldn't be a hand-out, because we're in this life together and it's a way to get you home sooner. But, I think I can live with your compromise."

**August**

Unfortunately, the economy couldn't live with Eric and Sookie's compromise. Every lead on a job in New Orleans was a dead end. Sookie couldn't even get back in at Commander's Palace. Not only was no one hiring, but most upscale restaurants were laying off kitchen staff as the country seemed to be tightening its belt. High-priced dining was a luxury people could do without.

Eric was getting impatient and by August, their phone arguments had resumed in full force and Sookie started avoiding Eric's calls.

**September**

The Saturday after Labor Day Sookie trudged home around one in the morning after a particularly bad night at work. Keying into the apartment, all she wanted was a hot bath and to hear Eric's voice. She missed talking to him, even if they were arguing.

She got the water running and sat on the edge of the tub, staring at the cell phone in her hand. She didn't want to bother him in the middle of the full swing of a Saturday night. With the later bar hours in New Orleans, Eric was probably no where near done for the night.

Before getting in the tub Sookie finally caved and called him, even if it was just to hear him on voicemail. She was surprised when he actually answered.

"I was just about to call on you, lover," was how Eric answered the phone after seeing her name appear on the call screen.

"Call _on_ me?" Sookie asked, still somewhat surprised he had even heard his phone, let alone answered it. "Don't you mean _call me_?"

"No Sookie, look out your window."

And there he was, standing on the porch steps of the brownstone, worn jeans, converse, a just-snug-enough green t-shirt, a duffle bag thrown over his shoulder and a cell phone held up to one ear. Beyond the halo of the streetlamp that was framing the breathtaking sight of her Eric was the beautiful backdrop of the World Trade Center, a blinking beacon in the background beyond the Brooklyn Bridge.

Tears formed in Sookie's eyes as she leaned out the open window, in nothing but a towel, and yelled, "Get your ass up here, Northman! I've missed you."

The following night, over a romantic dinner at One If By Land Two If By Sea, they hashed out everything. Sookie had a solid lead on Ralph Brennan's Bacco at the newly renovated W Hotel on the Riverfront, and she was expecting a call for an interview any day.

"I've been thinking a lot about what you said the last time I was home, about us building our life together, and not having forever to wait for happiness."

Eric raised an eyebrow at her in a questioning look as he took a bite of the Beef Wellington.

"I'm not going to wait to see if I get the job at Bacco, or even the interview. I'm going to quit Windows on Tuesday and come home," she looked up from her dinner and smiled at him. "It'll be hard to interview from New York City, anyway, right?" she laughed softly.

Eric beamed at her, so proud that she had finally come to this decision, and ecstatic that she would be coming home soon.

They walked home from the subway stop holding hands, both of them feeling lighter with the knowledge of what was to come. When they arrived at the brownstone, Eric had stopped short while Sookie was going up the steps to the front door. Still holding his hand, she turned to him when she felt the jolt of his halting.

Eric was two steps below her and was down on one knee, holding a solitaire diamond ring with the fingers of his free hand.

"I love you, Sookie Stackhouse, and nothing would make me happier than making you my wife once I get you back home."

"Eric," she whispered. "I, I didn't mean when I said… You didn't have to…"

Eric let go of Sookie's hand to hush her with his fingers. "Ssh," he whispered back. Standing up, he replaced his fingers with his lips in a soft kiss and took hold of her left hand again, this time slipping the ring on the appropriate finger.

"I already had the ring when you said those things, Sookie. Please, just say yes."

She nodded her head as she watched him place the sparkling stone where it belonged.

"Yes, yes, a thousand times yes," she squealed with delight as she wrapped her arms around his neck, throwing her body at him with such force they nearly toppled over onto the sidewalk.

The spent Monday taking in the beautiful weather and enjoying the best Manhattan had to offer, relaxing in Central Park, eating hot pretzels from a street corner cart, window shopping at Tiffany's. It was September 10th, 2001, and Eric would be returning to New Orleans late the following afternoon. Around the same time, Sookie would be heading into work for what would hopefully be her final shift, as Eric was predicting (and praying) that Felipe would tell her to take a hike once she gave her two weeks notice.

The harsh ringing of Sookie's cell phone woke them both at six the next morning. Victor was at his wits end dealing with Felipe, who himself seemed to be losing his mind because he couldn't find a certain skillet.

"Sookie, there's a breakfast here this morning for the Risk Waters Financial Technology Congress and Felipe is all out of sorts over it. I'm not even sure why he's here, but he's screaming like a mad man over this skillet. Do you have any idea what he's talking about or where it is?"

Sookie sighed as she wiped the sleep out of her eyes. Eric moaned and rolled half onto her, draping an arm over her belly and a leg over her thighs.

"Too early, lover. Back to sleep," Eric mumbled.

"Sookie, are you there?" Victor pleaded.

"Yeah, I'm here Victor." Sookie took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. "I'll be there as fast as I can." _To find the damn fry pan and quit_, she added mentally while flipping her phone closed.

Eric had easily fallen back asleep, having never truly woken up when the phone rang. Sookie washed up quickly, threw on jeans, a tee and sneakers, and pulled her hair back into a pony tail. She leaned down to kiss Eric's shoulder and whisper "Be back in a bit," before heading out the door at a quarter after six.

Two and a half hours later, as Eric lounged in bed drinking coffee and leafing through the newspaper, he heard a bunch of commotion coming from the street below through the apartment's open window. More than just the usual rush hour traffic sounds, he heard people screaming and crying.

Eric went lazily to the window, but had to blink a few times to make sure what he was seeing was right. There was smoke coming from the one of the towers of the Trade Center. From the looks of it, it was the North Tower where Sookie worked.

He raced frantically back to the bed, checking the bedside tables for the TV remote. Once he got the news on, he could see more detail of what we saw out the window. It was definitely Sookie's tower, and it was on fire.

He grabbed his cell phone off the table on his side of the bed and dialed. The ringing in his ear was echoed by a louder ringing from across the bed, where Sookie's cell phone sat vibrating and chirping away from her bedside table. She had forgotten her phone.

Eric paced the length of the tiny space while watching the news, trying to decide if he should go down there or keep his eyes on the news. He was torn and ready to pull his hair out when he saw a plane crash into the second tower on the TV screen right in front of him. He ran to the window, as if to make sure the camera wasn't lying. And there, across the East River, were now two plumes of smoke billowing into the sky.

Eric stood in front of the window, frozen by indecision, remote in one hand and cell phone in the other. The phone rang and Eric tried to answer the TV remote. After another ring, he snapped out of his daze and answered his actual phone.

"Hello?" he rasped.

"Hey, it's Pam. Are you guys seeing what's going on where Sookie works? Can you see it from your apartment?" she asked, under the belief that Sookie was snuggled up next to Eric in bed with the glow of her newly engaged status. "Let me talk to Sookie, I want to ask how she likes the ring."

"She's, she's there," he choked out.

"Where, Eric?" Pam asked, starting to worry.

"At work. They called her in this morning. She was going to quit. She's in the North Tower," as he said the words out loud, tears started form. He resumed pacing.

"Jesus, Eric," Pam gasped. "Did you call her? The restaurant is above where they say the plane crashed."

"She left her phone here," he whispered, his head starting to clear and the gears in his brain beginning to function again. "I have to go, Pam. I have to go down there," he decided. "I'll call you later."

"Wait! Eric, no," Pam began, but Eric had already snapped his phone closed.

Eric dressed quickly, pausing after each article of clothing to look up at the news and call one of Sookie's friends, asking if they had heard from her.

It was close to nine thirty as Eric approached the High St. subway station, from which hoards of people were flooding out. The subways had been shut down, according to some people speaking hysterically into their phones. He headed for the bridge.

Walking against the crowds fleeing Manhattan, Eric was nearly halfway across the bridge when the South Tower collapsed. He dropped to his knees and watched helplessly, his stomach retching at the thought that Sookie was still trapped inside the other tower. As unthinkable as it was that the building collapsed, that meant her building could easily tumble down, as well.

Eric braced himself on the railing he was leaning against, turning his head to vomit the bagel and coffee from what seemed like eons ago, when in reality it hadn't been much more than an hour since the first plane hit Sookie's building.

It finally crossed his mind to try calling the actual restaurant, but all the lines where jammed; he tried some of Sookie's friends again, but he couldn't get through to anyone.

He sat back against the railing in a crouch for a few minutes. Leaning his forearms on his knees, he took some deep breaths as he watched throngs of dazed and dirty people go past him, some running, some ambling like zombies.

He finally got up and continued on despite the fear bubbling up inside him. He searched the crowds for a blonde ponytail, hoping she had gotten out somehow and was on her way back to him, across the very same bridge. But all he saw were ash-covered faces, many streaked with tears.

Eric wanted to run the rest of the way, but the crowds were getting worse by the minute, and he was afraid he might run by Sookie if he went too fast. He kept scanning, hoping, praying. He saw a flash of blonde once or twice, but it wasn't her. He had stopped to gather his thoughts for a minute, trying to decide if he should stop where he was in the hope that she'd come this way eventually. He wasn't sure what he'd do once he got to the Trade Center. He gathered, unsurprisingly, that it was chaos down there, from everything he was overhearing from people on the bridge. He began to panic, wondering how he would ever find her when a wave if nausea overtook him again.

He was doubled over throwing up bile by the railing, maybe three quarters of the way across the bridge. He was cursing God for letting this happen after Sookie had just accepted his proposal and agreed to move home when he thought he heard someone yelling his name.

He immediately snapped up to his full height, eyes frantically looking around him.

"Sookie?" he yelled, turning around in a circle where he stood.

"Eric!"

As he came full circle Sookie launched herself into his arms.

After Sookie had gotten to the restaurant and found what Felipe was looking for, she gave Victor and Felipe her notice. Felipe told her good riddance and went back to work. However, Victor had spent some time trying to talk Sookie out of quitting. Nevertheless, by 8:44 Sookie was in the elevator with three other people on their way back down to the lobby.

She was chatting with a co-worker, Terry, in the lobby who was on his way up to work when they felt a powerful shock wave run through the building at 8:46. At first no one seemed to know what happened. But when they finally learned what had occurred, Sookie and Terry started helping to direct people out of the building. There were so many people who obviously didn't work there and had no clue where to go.

When the police and firefighters finally arrived, they along with the WTC security told Sookie and Terry to get to safety. They ducked into a little deli a few blocks away so Sookie could call Eric, since she had forgotten her phone at home and Terry didn't have one. Apparently a lot of people didn't have cell phones, because there was a line for the payphone at the back of the deli. They decided to grab a coffee to wait for the phone, or to find out when Terry could go back into the building.

And then they heard an explosion.

They ran out into the street to see what had happened and looked up for the first time, seeing both towers in flames at the upper floors. They remained where they were on the sidewalk, a few blocks away by City Hall, watching everything unfold around them along with dozens, maybe hundreds of other stunned bystanders. They hadn't bothered to be worried before, thinking the towers indestructible.

When South Tower collapsed they ran for it, trying to outpace the dust and debris billowing up around them. They got separated somewhere along the way and Sookie ducked into a storefront's entryway, trying to wait out the darkness that had descend upon lower Manhattan. When it finally cleared enough for her to see, she headed in a daze towards the Brooklyn Bridge, subconsciously knowing the way even though she had never walked the route home herself. She let herself be guided by the other lost souls looking for a way off the island, thinking all the while that she just wanted to get back to Eric.

Sookie had never in her life been so happy to see Eric, even bent over hurling his guts out. As he stood up, looking for her voice, she sprinted to him and catapulted herself into his arms.

"Oh, thank God. Thank God," Eric said over and over again as he held her tighter, kissing every inch of her face despite the dust and ash that coated her.

"I forgot my phone," she sobbed into his neck and she held him tighter.

"Sookie, I thought… I was afraid," Eric was unable to put his worst fears into words.

Sookie looked up to see he had tears streaming down his cheeks.

"I know, baby. I'm so sorry," she said.

They just stood there hugging each other, Sookie nearly a foot off the ground as Eric held her. He finally kissed her on the lips in earnest, putting all the words he couldn't say behind his actions. As they embraced, forgetting for a moment that the world around them was falling apart now that they had found each other, North Tower lost its battle with the destruction it had endured behind them.

They broke their kiss and turned to watch in horror, Sookie sobbing uncontrollably as her coworkers and friends perished.

Eric pressed his lips to her temple. All around them people had stopped to watch in shock. He placed an arm around her waist, half holding her up. He whispered in her ear, "Come on lover, let's go home."

She looked up at him in confusion, "Eric, you never call the Brooklyn apartment home."

"I know, dear one. I know," he said, and she knew instantly that he meant New Orleans.

They lumbered side by side, not just together but with hundreds of other devastated New Yorkers making the trek across the Brooklyn Bridge away from the terror that had befallen a great city that morning.

**Six Months Later**

Following the 9/11 attacks, Sookie hadn't wasted any time packing up what little she had with her in New York, and she and Eric were on their way back home as soon as they could rent a car and get on the road a few days later.

Once back in New Orleans they worked diligently to get Eric's new bar open so that once that was out of the way, they could get married and begin the rest of their life together. As part of their new appreciation for life and one another, they had also ceremoniously thrown out Sookie's birth control pills.

Eric and Pam opened Raven's Loft to rave reviews just in time for Mardi Gras, and with that out of the way Sookie and Eric had finally taken the official plunge into marriage.

After a short but sweet ceremony at the Orleans Parish Marriage License office, Eric and Sookie had invited their small wedding party to an intimate dinner at Emeril's NOLA Restaurant. Sookie's brother Jason and his fiancé Crystal, and her best friend Amelia and her husband Tray had all driven down for the weekend. Eric's sister, Pam, had stood up on his side along with his long-time friend, Rasul. The eight of them enjoyed a tasting menu that Emeril himself had put together for his newest Expediter, Sookie Stackhouse Northman.

Following the fantastic meal and even better company, the newlyweds returned home to their almost completely restored home in the Garden District.

Sookie dropped her heels in the foyer and went upstairs, presumably to get ready for bed. Eric picked up the shoes and went up after her.

"Lover, how about you put these shoes back _on_," he called to her as he ascended the stairs.

He stopped short, finding her leaning against the door jamb to one of the unfinished bedrooms.

"What are you doing, Sookie? I thought you came up to get out of your dress?" he asked with a waggle of his eyebrow.

"What do you think of a pale yellow for this bedroom, Eric?" she asked dreamily, turning her head back towards him as he came up behind her and put his arms around her, crossing around her middle.

"You want to talk guest room colors on our wedding night, lover?" he questioned, leaning down to kiss her softly.

"No, not for the guest room, silly. For the nursery," she answered.

"Nursery, huh?" he chuckled. "Getting ahead of ourselves, aren't we?"

"Hmmm, you're right. We have about seven months," she said as she turned in his embrace and placed her arms around his neck.

She kissed him, as it took a moment for what she said to register with his brain.

He pulled back. "Seven months?" he asked, excitement bubbling up in his voice.

"Seven months," Sookie confirmed, pulling him back into a kiss.

Eric pulled away again, a huge grin spreading across his face. "Does that mean?" he asked.

"Yep," she whispered into his neck as she pulled him back down to her. "We're due in October."

"Oh, lover," he breathed, kissing her just below her ear, then down her jaw towards her mouth.

"Are you happy, Eric?" Sookie asked against his lips.

"Best wedding gift ever," he replied, pulling her even tighter against him.

-oOo- FIN –oOo-

**A/N - I'm co-hosting a contest for new writers and canon writers taking their first turn at writing All-Human. It's called "A New Chapter" and my lovely cohorts are probably among your favorite authors (and if they're not, they should be!): Evenflo78, MissusT, seastarr08 and youbettago. Check it out here: http:/www(dot)fanfiction(dot)net/u/2507718/A_New_Chapter_Contest**

Story Links for Windows on the World:

http:/en(dot)wikipedia(dot)org/wiki/Chef

I'm not sure if 28 years old would have been a young age for Sookie's job at Commander's Palace ten years ago, but I imagined it might be the case since it's a pretty old-school restaurant. My apologies if I'm completely off-base.

Their house in New Orleans

http:/www(dot)trulia(dot)com/property/1070565134-1312-1st-St-New-Orleans-LA-70130 - but imagine it as a fixer-upper.

Sookie's dress for the ballet - Miranda's dress but in red: http:/images(dot)stltoday(dot)

The Greatest Bar on Earth

http:/www(dot)chibarproject(dot)

Windows on the World

http:/en(dot)wikipedia(dot)org/wiki/Windows_on_the_World

9/11

http:/en(dot)wikipedia(dot)org/wiki/September_11_attacks

http:/www(dot)nytimes(dot)?pagewanted=1

Sookie's wedding dress

http:/nibsblog(dot)files(dot)wordpress(dot)


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